Measuring gage for internal and external splines of a workpiece

Abstract

A measuring gage for internal and external splines of a workpiece employs a pair of opposed aligned gage pins with hardened balls respectively on their outer ends for registry with internal splines of a workpiece and upon their inner ends for registry with the external splines of a workpiece and with the balls lying in a single plane for operative engagement with the workpiece splines. Longitudinal movement of one of the gage pins is adapted to control axial movement of a plunger upon a dial indicator directly or through a linkage for comparing the dimensions of the workpiece spline with respect to a set master size. In gaging external splines, one of the gage pins forms a part of the dial indicator plunger.

I claim: 
     
       1. A measuring gage for internal splines comprising a cylindrical shank having a longitudinal central axis; a body of increased diameter on one end of said shank, there being a longitudinal bore in said shank on said axis opening on the other end of said shank and extending into said body;   an elongated axle within said bore intermediate its end pivotally mounted upon said shank of a transverse axis intersecting said longitudinal axis;   oppositely directed control and actuator faces on opposite ends of said axle respectively coplanar with said longitudinal axis;   a dial indicator having a calibrated dial and pointer mounted upon said body and having a depending spring biased plunger extending into said bore and bearing against said axle control face;   adjustable spring means upon said body aligned with said plunger engaging one side of said axle opposite from said control face to provide a zero reading upon said dial indicator;   an exteriorly splined hardened locator sleeve loosely mounted upon, concentric to and retained upon said shank and having a pair of opposed radial bores;   a pair of opposed aligned gage pins mounted upon said shank extending transversely outward and into said bores;   and a hardened ball secured upon the outer end of each pin, loosely positioned within said bores and extending to the periphery of said splined sleeve;   one gage pin being adjustably secured to said shank, and the other gage pin being yieldably mounted upon said shank with its inner end biased against said axle actuator face, said balls responding to the opposed interior splines of a splined workpiece when said splined sleeve is inserted therein to provide a visible indication upon said dial indicator.   
     
     
       2. In the measuring gage of claim 1, said axle being cylindrical. 
     
     
       3. In the measuring gage of claim 1, the pivotal mounting of said axle including a pivot pin extending transversely through said axle with its ends extending into and anchored upon said shank. 
     
     
       4. In the measuring gage of claim 1, the mounting of said dial indicator including a cylindrical shank having a bore depending from said dial indicator projected down into and secured to said body, said plunger being movably mounted within and projecting from said indicator shank. 
     
     
       5. In the measuring gage of claim 4, the securing of said indicator shank including a split bushing within said body, receiving said shank, and a set screw threaded into said body transversely of and retainingly engaging said indicator shank. 
     
     
       6. In the measuring gage of claim 1, said adjustable spring means including a zero setting pin aligned with said plunger; an adjustable set screw in said body aligned with said pin;   and a coiled compression spring in said body interposed between said pin and said set screw.   
     
     
       7. In the measuring gage of claim 1, said locator sleeve being adapted for projection into an interiorly splined master of a known size, said spring means being adjustable to provide a zero setting of said pointer on said dial, whereby the successive projection of said locator sleeve and balls down into and engaging a splined workpiece, said other gage pin operably engaging said axle positioning said plunger so that said pointer provides a visual comparison of the size of said workpiece splines with said master splines; said dial indicator being further adapted to measure tapers, crown, hollow and out of roundness of said workpiece splines.   
     
     
       8. In the measuring gage of claim 1, said opposed balls contacting said workpiece splines through a single plane, there being a floating self-aligning relation of said splined sleeve relative to the splines of said workpiece. 
     
     
       9. In the measuring gage of claim 1, said body defining with said shank a stop shoulder; a sleeve retainer cap centered over said other end of said shank, of a diameter less than said splined sleeve, and secured to said shank, said splined sleeve being loosely interposed and retained between said stop shoulder and cap.   
     
     
       10. In the measuring gage of claim 1, said shank and body being of aluminum, said splined sleeve being of hardened steel and said balls being of tungsten carbide, brazed onto said pins respectively. 
     
     
       11. In the measuring gage of claim 1, the securing of said one gage pin upon said shank including a set screw threaded axially into said shank retainingly engaging said one gage pin. 
     
     
       12. In the measuring gage of claim 1, the yieldable mounting of said other gage pin including a transverse apertured bushing adjustably secured within said shank; said other gage pin extending through said bushing and on its inner end having a contactor engaging said actuator face;   and a coiled spring upon said other pin interposed in compression between said bushing and contactor.   
     
     
       13. In the measuring gage of claim 12, said bushing being radially ajustable relative to said shank to regulate the compression in said spring. 
     
     
       14. In the measuring gage of claim 1, a guard of inverted U-shape loosely surrounding and protectively enclosing said dial indicator and at its free ends secured to said body. 
     
     
       15. A measuring gage for the external splines of a workpiece comprising a hardened spline locator including a circular body and a cylindrical shank connected thereto, there being an interiorly splined bore extending through said body and shank having a central longitudinal axis and a first pair of opposed radial bores in said shank communicating with said splined bore; a centrally apertured cap mounted upon and secured to said shank including an annular flange engaging said body;   said body, shank, cap and flange defining an annular chamber;   a floating ring loosely nested within said chamber;   a dial indicator having a calibrated dial and pointer overlying said cap and mounted upon said ring, and having a depending spring biased plunger pin extending radially inward into one of said radial bores;   a gage pin aligned with and opposed to said plunger pin mounted upon, adjustably secured to and extending radially inward of said ring and into the other of said radial bores;   a hardened ball secured upon the inner ends of each pin loosely positioned within said radial bores and extending to said splined bore;   said balls operably engaging and responding to the opposed exterior splines of a splined workpiece when projected into said splined bore, the ball on said plunger pin on axial movements thereof providing a visible indication on said dial indicator.   
     
     
       16. In the measuring gage of claim 15, there being a second pair of opposed radial bores in said flange aligned with said first pair of bores, the mountings of said dial indicator including a cylindrical shank having a bore depending from said dial indicator, projected through one of said second radial bores and secured to said ring, said plunger pin being movably mounted within and projecting from said indicator shank, the other of said second radial bores being in alignment with said gage pin. 
     
     
       17. In the measuring gage of claim 16, the securing of said indicator shank including a split axial bushing receiving said shank extending radially inward of said ring and adjustably secured thereto, said bushing extending into one of said first pair of bores, said plunger pin being guidably positioned within said bushing. 
     
     
       18. In the measuring gage of claim 17, the securing of said dial indicator shank to said ring including an axial set screw in said ring operatively engaging said bushing. 
     
     
       19. In the measuring gage of claim 15, the securing of said gage pin to said ring including an axial set screw threaded into said ring and operatively engaging said gage pin; radial adjustment of said gage pin relative to a splined master of known size projected into said splined bore providing a zero reading on said dial indicator.   
     
     
       20. In the measuring gage of claim 18, said plunger pin having an annular stop flange adjacent its outer end guidably positioned within said bushing; and a coil compression spring within said bushing receiving said plunger pin and interposed between said dial indicator shank and said stop flange, normally biasing said plunger pin and ball thereon radially inward into said splined bore.   
     
     
       21. In the measuring gage of claim 15, the splined bore of said indicator being adapted to receive an exteriorly splined master of a known size, said gage pin being radially adjustable upon said ring and said ring floating within said chamber and transversely adjustable therein, to provide a zero setting of said pointer whereby on successive projection of a splined workpiece into said splined bore operatively engaging said balls the radial position of said ring and said plunger pin is adjusted and said pointer provides a visual comparison of the size of said workpiece splines with said master splines; said dial indicator being further adapted to measure taper, crown, hollow and out of roundness of said workpiece splines.   
     
     
       22. In the measuring gage of claim 15, said opposed balls contacting said workpiece splines through a single plane, said ring floating within said chamber for self-alignment and centering of said balls with the splines of said workpiece. 
     
     
       23. In the measuring gage of claim 15, said ring being rectangular in cross-section. 
     
     
       24. In the measuring gage of claim 15, said ring being adapted for limited axial and transverse movements within said chamber and corresponding movements of said balls. 
     
     
       25. In the measuring gage of claim 15, said locator being of hardened steel, said ring being of aluminum and said balls being of tungsten carbide brazed onto said pins. 
     
     
       26. In the measuring gage of claim 15, and a guard of inverted U-shaped loosely surrounding and protectively enclosing said dial indicator, and at its free ends secured to said cap flange.